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Fairfield County History and Information

County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |
Fairfield County Ohio Map
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Fairfield Co., Ohio
Township Map

Fairfield County was created on December 9, 1800 and was formed from Ross and Washington Counties. The County was named for the country there. The County Seat is Lancaster. See also County History for more historical details.

The Health Department has Birth & Death Records from 1908-Present, see the Vital Records section for more details. For birth and death records prior to Dec. 20, 1908, contact the Probate Court of this county.

Counties adjacent to Fairfield County are Licking County (north), Perry County (east), Hocking County (south), Pickaway County (southwest), Franklin County (northwest).

Fairfield County Municipalities Include Columbus, Lancaster, Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Amanda, Baltimore, Bremen, Buckeye Lake, Canal Winchester, Carroll, Lithopolis, Millersport, Pleasantville, Rushville, Stoutsville, Sugar Grove, Thurston, West Rushville. Townships Include Amanda, Berne, Bloom, Clearcreek, Greenfield, Hocking, Liberty, Madison, Pleasant, Richland, Rush Creek, Violet, Walnut.. Other localities Include Include Royalton

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Click Here to Search Ohio Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records!
Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Records at the Fairfield County Courthouse

See Also Ohio Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

All Departments below are in the Fairfield County Courthouse 210 E. Main St., Room 301, Lancaster 43130, (740) 687-7190, unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.co.fairfield.oh.us/ . NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.

Fairfield County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1803, Birth / Death Records from 1851 and Probate Records from 1801 and is located at 224 East Main St., Third Floor, Lancaster, OH 43130. Phone Number: 740.687.7090

Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

The Probate Court handles the following administrative functions: the probating of wills, estate administrations (full estates and releases from administration), trusts, guardianships of incompetent adults and minors, commitment hearings for the mentally ill and mentally challenged, adoptions, birth corrections, name changes, delayed birth registrations, custodial accounts, lost heir accounts, order disinterments, and issues marriage licenses. In addition, the Court tries litigation issues in all the above matters. A unique aspect of the Probate Court is that the Probate Judge is the ex-officio Clerk of Courts, thus, the Court performs all the duties as its own Clerk of Courts (indexing, filing, docketing, etc.).

Fairfield County Recorder has Land Records from 1801. Phone Number:  (740) 687-7100

In Ohio, the Recorder, as an elected official, is charged by law with the exacting duty of keeping certain specific records which may include: deeds, mortgages, financing statements, easements, leases, federal tax liens, personal tax liens, military discharges, powers of attorney, mechanics liens, plats, recognizance liens, partnerships, living wills, zoning resolutions, etc.

Fairfield County Clerk of Court of Common Pleas has Court Records from 1801 and is located at 224 E. Main St., P.O. Box 370, Lancaster, Ohio 43130. Phone Number: (740) 687-7090

The Clerk of Courts of Common Pleas is responsible for various administrative and ministerial duties in conjunction with the Court of Common Pleas.  These duties include filing, docketing, indexing, and preserving all court pleadings for civil, felony criminal and domestic relations cases.  The Clerk of Courts must also follow procedure required by law and issues writs to carry out Court orders.  Some of these writs include summons, subpoenas, warrants to arrest and to convey to penal institutions, and signing the death warrant in capital cases. The Clerk is responsible for the receipt and disbursement of all money paid into the court system. Other services provided by the Clerk of Court of Common Pleas are accepting bonds, recording notary commissions, administering oaths, keeping naturalization records, and recording and retention of coroner records.

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Court Records by clicking the link below:

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Click Here to Search Ohio Birth, Marriage & Death Records!
Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Fairfield County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Ohio

Ohio did not make it a law to keep birth records until 1867. Ohio made it a law to record births in 1867. County probate courts kept birth records between 1867 and December 19, 1908. There is no statewide index to birth records from 1867 through December 19, 1908. Go to the list of county probate court birth records held at the Ohio Historical Society. If the Ohio Historical Society does not hold a county's birth records, please contact the county's probate court.

Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, 225 Neilston Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215; (614) 466-2531. Same-day service available to walk-in customers (for Ohio birth and death records only)., P.O. Box 570, Jefferson City, MO 65102, Please allow up to approximately 3 weeks to 6 months for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

  • Birth & Death Certificates: The state of Ohio began issuing certificates for births on December 20, 1908. The Ohio Department of Health holds birth certificates for the state of Ohio from December 20, 1908 to the present. The Vital Statistics Office maintains statewide Death Certificates from 1954 to the present. Individual health departments in the county or city where the death took place keep certificates for their local area (not statewide).
    • Cost: $16.50 per certificate, payment is payable to the Treasurer State of Ohio. The cost for each authentication is $5.00 payable to the Secretary of State of Ohio. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $16.50 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 3-6 weeks when ordered by MAIL
    • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon
  • Marriage & Divorce Certificates: The State of Ohio Vital Statistics Office maintains the abstracts of marriages and divorces that occurred in Ohio from January 1, 1954, to present.  Abstracts are brief forms that list limited information extracted from the original marriage licenses or divorce decrees.  This limited information is used for index purposes and the filing of the marriage or divorce within the State of Ohio. We do not have marriage licenses or divorce decrees on file, only abstracts. An abstract is not a marriage license or divorce decree. Please contact the following agencies: Marriage License - County Probate Court; Divorce – County Clerk of Court. To request a certified copy of a marriage license contact the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the license was obtained.To request a certified copy of a divorce decree contact the Circuit Clerk in the county where the decree was granted.
    • Cost: Include a fee of $3.00 per 10 year search per last name with request.  Allow 4 to 6 months for the search. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: Allow 4 to 6 months for the search by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY. Mail your search request to: Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, 246 N. High Street, 1st Floor, P.O. Box 15098, Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098
  • Ordering Vital Records Online - You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.
Order In Person:

Same day service is available to walk-in customers. This is the fastest way to obtain a birth certificate. When you arrive, you will complete an application and pay the $16.50 required fee. Walk-in address is Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, 225 Neilston Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215; Phone: (614) 466-2531. You can also obtain the birth/death record from the city or county health department office where the event occurred, provided there is no court or legal action. You may download the application and submit it in person or by mail to the nearest local health department.

Order By Mail:

Turn around is estimated at 3 to 6 weeks from the day the request is received. However, people are urged to allow sufficient time for delivery for all birth/death records. Mail a check or money order of $16.50 for each certified certificate. Do not send cash. Mail to the following address: Ohio Department of Health, Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 15098, Columbus, Ohio 43215-0098. Please include return address on envelope and application form.

Order On-Line:

To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by on-line purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek’s order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Ohio newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Search Ohio Death Certificate Index 1913-1944 from the Ohio Historical Society
  • Ohio Obituaries Index 1830s-present - mostly Northwest counties (over 800,000 names) includes obituaries from these Ohio counties: Allen, Auglaize, Belmont, Defiance, Erie, Gallia, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Logan, Lorain, Miami, Ottawa, Paulding, Ross, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Washington, Wayne, Wood & Wyandot - coverage varies by county - also see the links below (copies of the obituaries can be ordered for a fee)
  • MOLO Obituary Index includes obituaries from newspapers in Ashland County (Loudonville), Coshocton County, Holmes County and Stark County (Massillon)
  • Fairfield County, Ohio Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
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Click Here to Search Ohio Voter Lists & Census Records!
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Fairfield County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Fairfield County, Ohio are 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Fairfield County, Ohio are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Ohio Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 (Northwest Territory) Federal Census Index; 1800 Federal Census Index (Washington County); 1810 Washington County Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; Early Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
  • Fairfield County, Ohio Census Books at Amazon.com
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Fairfield County Maps & Atlases

 

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Ohio showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Ohio showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries.

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Maps. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Search Ohio Military Records!
Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

Fairfield County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Ohio

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Fairfield County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Tax records for Ohio began as early as 1800. The archives section of the Ohio Historical Society has a collection of original Ohio tax lists from the state auditor's office. They include lists from the county's organization to 1838, usually arranged by county and township. They are not indexed. County courthouses hold various tax records that have not been inventoried. They are in the office of the county auditor or the county records manager. The FHL has microfilm copies of all known extant tax records 1800-38 for Ohio.

The National Archives-Great Lakes Region retains numerous federal tax records for Ohio. These include assessment books for 1867-73 and corporate and personal records for District 10, Toledo, and District 11, Columbus.

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

  • Fairfield County, Ohio Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Fairfield County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Ohio Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Fairfield County Chapter, OGS, New Address:, 503 Lenwood Dr., Lancaster, OH 43130; Fairfield County Chapter, OGS meets the third Thursday of each month at 7:00pm at the Fairfield County Genealogical Library, 503 Lenwood Drive, Lancaster, OH., E-mail: chapter@fairfieldgenealogy.org
  • Local Ohio Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
  • Ohio Historical Society, Archives-Library Division,1982 Velma Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211; Telephone: 614-297-2300
    The Ohio Historical Society Archives/Library is, by law, the archives for the State of Ohio. As such, we collect, preserve, and make available to the public, documents pertaining to the operation of state and local governments.
  • Ohio Genealogical Society, 713 S. Main St, Mansfield, OH 44907-1644;(419) 756-7294, [EMAIL]
  • Columbus Metropolitan Library, Genealogy Division, 96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, OH 43215. 614-645-2ASK (2275);The Genealogy Division holds microfilm; printed, typescript, and manuscript collections, including family and local histories; atlases; cemetery records; city directories; military records; censuses and census indexes; and transcribed records provided by the Ohio chapters of the DAR.
  • Ohio Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
  • Ohio Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Click Here to Search Ohio Obituary Records!
This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

Fairfield County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Ohio

There are many churches and cemeteries in Fairfield County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Fairfield County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Religion in Ohio was an early and important factor in settlement. The first Moravian mission was established in 1772. Presbyterians and Quakers were in the state at an early date, the latter having established forty-three monthly meetings and settlements between 1801 and 1883. The Presbyterians founded seventeen towns between 1784 and 1799. Baptists, Congregationalists, several reformed groups, Lutherans, Disciples of Christ, United Brethren, Methodists, and Catholics arrived prior to 1850. By 1890 the latter two denominations were the largest in the state. The Methodist circuit in Ohio was organized in 1798, with circuit riders traveling from log cabins to camp meetings across the territory. In 1831 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints migrated from New York to Kirtland in Lake County. No thorough survey exists of any of the holdings of individual churches in Ohio, although many are on microfilm through the FHL. The Ohio Genealogical Society is presently undertaking a church records survey.

According to the Ohio Genealogical Society, the majority of Ohio counties have published cemetery records in one form or another. They suggest contacting local societies or one of the major genealogical libraries in the state.

Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Click Here to Search Ohio Family Tree Records!
The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Fairfield County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Fairfield County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Extended History

 

On December 9, 1800, the Northwest Territory government authorized the creation of Fairfield County. Residents named the county after the area's "fair fields." Zane's Trace passed through the county, causing relatively quick population growth as people moved westward to the Northwest Territory. Over the generations, the county's importance diminished, as more and more people bypassed it for land further west or to live in one of Ohio's major cities. In recent years, the county's population in its northwestern portion has swelled, as people have tried to escape the busyness of neighboring Franklin County and the city of Columbus.

Fairfield County is located in east central Ohio. It is predominantly rural, with less than two percent of the county's 505 square miles consisting of urban areas. The county seat is Lancaster. With a population of 35,335 people, Springfield was the county's largest community in 2000. The next largest urban area, Pickerington, had only 9,737 residents that same year. Fairfield County experienced a significant increase in population -- roughly 18.6 percent -- between 1990 and 2000, raising the total number of residents to 122,759 people. Most of these new people were residents of Columbus, hoping to find suburbia in Fairfield County. The county averages 243 people per square mile.

The largest employers in Fairfield County are sales establishments, with service industries, such as health care and communications, a distant second. Government and manufacturing positions finish third and fourth respectively. Farming is a distant fifth. During the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries, county residents became major producers of glass. Anchor-Hocking Glass Company originated in Fairfield County. In 1999, the per capita income in the county was approximately 26,700 dollars, with almost seven percent of the people living in poverty.

In 1800, Ebenezer Zane helped to establish the settlement of Lancaster where Zane's Trace crossed the Hocking River. Many German settlers used the road to travel westward from Pennsylvania and settled in the new community. Signs in this community were printed in both English and German. Enough people of Germanic descent lived in Lancaster by 1809 that a German language newspaper, Der Ohio Adler, was published. The town became an important commercial center in the region, with a number of skilled craftsmen and small businesses located within its boundaries. By the War of 1812, the community had approximately 350 residents and was the Fairfield County seat.

The community grew quickly, especially after completion of the Lancaster Lateral Canal in 1834. The Hocking Canal also connected Lancaster to Athens, Ohio, in 1841. The community gained additional markets for its products in 1854, once the railroad came through town. Most early businesses were affiliated with agriculture, but glass production also spurred Lancaster's economic growth. Glass dinnerware produced in the city quickly spread across the United States thanks to the canals and railroads. Cloth production also helped the city economically during the nineteenth century, as well as the discovery of natural gas during the late 1880s.

Numerous prominent Americans were either born or lived in Lancaster. Among the most famous is William Tecumseh Sherman, a Civil War general. John Sherman also lived in Lancaster. He was a Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of State, as well as a United States Senator. Thomas Ewing, another United States Senator and the first Secretary of the Interior, resided in Lancaster for part of his life. Henry Stanberry, an Attorney General of the United States, also came from the city. In addition to these prominent men, three Ohio governors also called Lancaster home.

Other claims of fame for Lancaster include the Fairfield County Fair. The Fairfield County Fair is the longest operating county fair in Ohio. It has been held every year since 1850.

Today, Lancaster has more than thirty-five thousand residents. Many of these people have found employment in various glass production companies, including Anchor Hocking Glass Company and the Lancaster Glass Corporation, located in the community, while other residents make the thirty-mile commute to Columbus each day. Lancaster also has a growing tourism industry. Among the city's more prominent sites are the Sherman house, birthplace of William Tecumseh Sherman, the Georgian, the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, and the Glass Museum of Ohio.

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